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Topic: Pizza Shoppe-style? (Read 17503 times)

Hi everybody, I just found this forum yesterday and am glad I did. I'm a fan of a pizza chain in the Kansas City area called "Pizza Shoppe" (website: pizzashoppe.com). There are around 25 locations and the pizza there is fantastic -- Unfortunately I moved away several years ago and can now only get it when I'm in KC. I'd like to be able to duplicate this pizza and after looking through the categories here the closest thing I can use to describe the crust is "cracker like". Hopefully I can use one of the crust recipes you have here to duplicate the Pizza Shoppe crust.

My niece and I were joking last week when I was in KC that we need to get a "mole" inside Pizza Shoppe and find out how they make their crust. I said she should get a job there for a week and after she has the crust info, she should quit!

It is thin and very crispy, with lots of bubbly air spaces and it is docked. It reminds me of a thick saltine cracker in the nature of the air spaces in the crust. If you hold it by the edge it stands up pretty well with little sagging. I'm going to try a few recipes here and see what comes closest. I have Lancelot flour on hand so I probably have what I need to get started.

If anyone here is familiar with Pizza Shoppe and already has a crust recipe that approximates it, please let me know!

Klankster,I don't have a copy-cat for Pizza Shoppe but some of the cracker crust recipes here should come close. If you like their style you might want to give Old Shawnee Pizza a try the next time you are in KC, I believe the owners are the ones who originated the Pizza Shoppe restaurants. Same type and flavor of crust but with more toppings (better tasting toppings too). Woody.

I find it interesting that some of the recipes for this type of crust use yeast and others do not. While we were eating that pizza last week, my niece and I were kind of analyzing the crust and came to the conclusion that it didn't use yeast -- There just wasn't anything in it that looked like the yeasty, spongy texture you'd expect in there. I'll try the non-yeast one first then go from there.

Another thing I noticed while conducting my scientific analysis is that the edge looked like it had been stamped out -- I think they use the cutter pans (which I didn't know about until I came here). I have ordered one so I can "do it right". It's fun to see all the pieces of my observations coming together.

I'm going to be in KC in a couple of weeks; I'll give Old Shawnee a try. Thanks for the tip! (I actually used to live in Shawnee KS...) I have many fond memories from the late 80's of running over to the Pizza Shoppe on Nieman Road (that one is now another chain) and picking up a carry-out pizza and taking it home and watching Star Trek: The Next Generation!

The one on Nieman road is Old Shawnee Pizza now. Same atmosphere and great pizza. I work close by and once in a while go by for their lunch special. They are not really a chain restaurant, only two of them around and both run by the same folks. Their website is www.shawneepizza.com. Good luck with your replication endeavors.Woody.

Another thing I noticed while conducting my scientific analysis is that the edge looked like it had been stamped out -- I think they use the cutter pans (which I didn't know about until I came here).

Klankster,

I'd be very surprised if Pizza Shoppe uses cutter pans. If I had to guess, I would say that they are using dough ring cutters as templates to cut skins out of a sheet or ribbon of dough. Examples of such cutters are shown at http://www.amnow.com/pizzaSupplies/doughCuttingRings.html. Have you any evidence that they are using pans?

Do you know offhand how Pizza Shoppe bakes their cracker-type pizzas, that is, in a deck oven or in a conveyor oven? When deck ovens are used, the pizzas are usually baked directly on the stones. When conveyor ovens are used, the pizzas are usually put on screens or disks to be run through the conveyors. Pizza Shoppe is still small enough as a chain to be using deck ovens, but usually small chains switch to conveyor ovens when they get bigger. None of the majors use deck ovens.

The one on Nieman road is Old Shawnee Pizza now. Same atmosphere and great pizza.

Yeah, that's the one -- I didn't remember the new name. I freaked when I went by there one day and saw that Pizza Shoppe was gone -- I was afraid the whole chain had disappeared! Luckily, there's one over on Johnson Drive just a few blocks from my nephew and his wife. And one about a quarter mile from my sister way out west on Shawnee Mission Parkway!

I'd be very surprised if Pizza Shoppe uses cutter pans. If I had to guess, I would say that they are using dough ring cutters as templates to cut skins out of a sheet or ribbon of dough. Have you any evidence that they are using pans?

Not really -- in fact, now that you mention it, they're probably using the ring cutters because the edges of their crusts don't stand up as if they're constrained by a pan. When I'm in KC in a couple of weeks, I'll spend some time at the shop and see if I can get details on their process.

Sorry to hijack a thread, but it's good to see someone else from KC here. I have never tried Shawnee Pizza, but will give it a try. I'm trying to imitate Tim's Pizza in Independence. My family owned a baker in Independence as a kid and Tim's opened up right across the street as a Funhouse knock-off. 22 years later, they are still open as an independent pizza shop! I know they mix their dough for a considerable amount of time, cook in deck ovens, and use paper under the pie. Like funhouse, it is a cracker style crust, but different than the recipes I've tried on this site. The crust is crispy but relatively thick. Large bubbles develop in the dough (I suspect they do not dock the dough) giving it a layered characteristic that I love. And their sauce is thick - almost pasty. If you get a chance, get to Tim's and give it a try. Let me know if you have any thoughts on duplicating it.

Shawnee Pizza is a good place if you like a cracker crust and family-style atmosphere, ala a bit of the old Shakey's.

I have heard of Tim's in Independence, but I live on the exact opposite side of town so I have never been there. I had heard that Tim's started out as a Happy Joe's pizza place at one time and then Tim kept the recipes when Happy Joe's left town. I am familiar with Funhouse but I have not been to one, either, for the same reason I have not been to Tim's. Have you ever eaten at a Happy Joes? Would that be a fair estimate as to what his pizza tastes like?

Some night in the near future I will take some pictures of Shawnee pizza and post a review in the restaurant review section.

I just had Old Shawnee for the first time and was impressed. I watched a bit back in the kitchen to try and determine their process. First off, they bake them on a pan (a la Pizza Inn) and in a deck oven. This surprised me but I watched several pizzas and they definitely cook in the pan. The pizza shrinks considerably from the sides of the pan and thus does not have the uniformity you might expect. I have made the DKM cracker crust and laminated two skins. This yields a near-identical result to the Old Shawnee Crust. The sauce grew on me although it's still not my favorite. It's way too salty which, in my opinion, crowded all the other flavor out of the sauce. Frankly, I couldn't tell if they started from fresh packed or not. I know they buy their products from Pizza Specialties and they sell only stanislaus products. I also think that Pizza Specialties labels a spice packet for them. I think the cheese was sliced whole-milk mozerella. This makes for a very messy but delicious pie. The cheese was almost impossible to keep on the pizza as we dished it out. It was excellent despite all the grease it left on top!!

I will definitely be back to try their specialty pies (we only tried pepperoni this time). They are doing something right because it's Wednesday and they were bus-y.

Next time you are at Old Shawnne Pizza, if you get Canadian bacon, ask for the shredded variety as opposed to the whole pieces. It just tastes better to me (plus it is easier to eat instead removing all of the toppings as you take a bite ).

Did anyone ever get anywhere with this recipe? I'm in the KC area and have enjoyed Pizza Shoppe for years. They really have perfected cracker-crust pizza. The toppings/sauce/cheese are great, but what makes this pizza unique and excellent is the crust. I've basically made all of the cracker crust doughs posted here, but they don't compare to Pizza Shoppe. The Pizza Inn recipe is very good, but still quite different. It's hard to explain, but people who have had this pizza understand.

Well, I haven't made a cracker-style for a while (been concentrating on Chicago-style a lot recently) but the ones I tried really didn't equal Pizza Shoppe's. I've said it before and I'll say it again: we need a "mole" to go work there for a couple of weeks and get the recipe/procedure for making the crust. Any of you guys in the KC area up for it?

Pizza Shoppe's crust is incredibly great, and I'd give just about anything to be able to make it at home. I'm in Wisconsin now, far away from Pizza Shoppe, and go there just about every time I'm in KC visiting family. Was just there in September, and will be back again in December to watch the Packers play the Chiefs.

I'm wondering -- when you laminated the two skins, did you brush the interface between the two skins with oil or anything? Or did you just roll them out together? I'm thinking of trying one of these this weekend.

My oldest son lives just a short distance from the Pizza Shoppe on Hwy-7 (Olathe), I am familiar with their pizza as my son usually picks one up when I'm at his house, but the next time I'm there I'll make it a point to go to the store to observe how they make their pizzas. I do know they they bake their pizzas in a cutter pan as is indicated by the 40-degree shoulder on the crust edge, and they do use deck ovens, and it is a thin cracker type crust. I'll try to get more details on it the next time I'm there.Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

My oldest son lives just a short distance from the Pizza Shoppe on Hwy-7 (Olathe), I am familiar with their pizza as my son usually picks one up when I'm at his house, but the next time I'm there I'll make it a point to go to the store to observe how they make their pizzas. I do know they they bake their pizzas in a cutter pan as is indicated by the 40-degree shoulder on the crust edge, and they do use deck ovens, and it is a thin cracker type crust. I'll try to get more details on it the next time I'm there.Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Wow.

"And thee award for coolest site ever on the internet goes to............."

Add water (100F) to the mixing bowl, add the flour and dry ingredients, mix for 2-minutes, then add the oil and mix as usual for your mixer. No, there is no yeast in this formula.Scale and form the dough into balls, and set aside to rest for 20-minutes (cover to prevent drying).Roll the dough balls out to make a thin crust, place on baking stone and lightly par-bake. Immediately dress as desired and place back into the oven to finish baking (about 5-minutes). This usually produces a very thin, crispy, crackery crust. Note: It must be par-baked.Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed.Stir in water until dough comes together (about 30 seconds), then add oil and stir another minute.Form dough ball and let sit in sealed bowl for 20 minutes.Dust counter surface with sifted flour and roll dough to 16 inches.Place dough skin on well-oiled perforated pan and par-bake for 3 minutes at 475*.Finish dressing pizza and bake 5 minutes on middle shelf, then finish on bottom shelf for about 2 minutes.

This crust is pretty good. But is it Pizza Shoppe good? No.

The first problem is the texture. Although it is similar to Pizza Shoppe, this crust has a chewiness that is completely absent in Pizza Shoppe's crust. This is especially evident in the outer rim of the crust. Their crust is extremely light and airy - more or less exactly like a saltine cracker. I think lowering the amount of water might help with this.

The other problem is the flavor. This crust is really bland, and it's not like Pizza Shoppe crust is bursting with flavor, but it has a unique flavor that - once again - is extremely similar to a good saltine cracker. At the very least, the amount of salt needs to be increased to get closer to the flavor of Pizza Shoppe.

So, all-in-all, this is a good starting point, but it is certainly not a suitable Pizza Shoppe clone. I really hope we can work on this because it truly is a great pizza that is very unique, as anyone who has eaten there will tell you. I know for sure that they use a small amount of yeast, perforate the dough and bake in cutter pans right on the oven deck.

Thanks for the update. I haven't been back down to KC since October, but am planning to head down that way for a family visit next month and will absolutely hit Pizza Shoppe to see if I can get some more insight into their process, and maybe talk to the manager about their crust. And, of course, eat some of that great pizza.

I wonder what is missing from the crust. Because I made the DKM version a while back and yeah, it just wasn't nearly the same; I tried some other versions and they were just bland compared to PS. What could they be putting in there to get that flavor? This is the case with a lot of cooking I do where I try to duplicate something I've had in a restaurant -- It's usually "OK", but is always missing some complexity in the flavor that makes the original so great.

Maybe my next visit down there will let me identify something in the crust flavor that will help duplicate the quality of this crust. Or hopefully someone else will read this thread and chime in with some insights.

P.S. My sister sent me a bottle of the Pizza Shoppe "Pink Stuff" salad dressing for Christmas; I'd love to have that on a salad with some of this pizza when we figure out the recipe to duplicate it...

P.P.S. What do the measurements of salt etc. work out to in tsp? My scale really isn't accurate enough to measure quarter-grams and I'm tempted to try playing with this recipe a bit this week.